Handguns - Don't Bite Your Tongue EP

Today's wave of pop punk standouts are a tight-knit group. The scene in the northeast part of the country is more like a community, with bands that are more than just label-mates or friends from touring. These are groups that constantly choose to go on tour with each either, regard each other as best friends and are always looking out for each other and wishing success upon their peers. Two bands that exemplify the community of the pop punk scene at its finest are New Jersey's Man Overboard and Boston's Transit. The two groups have grown up together, were both signed to Run For Cover Records and after extensively touring the world together, both recently signed to Rise Records.

Well, the next addition to that tight-knit pop punk scene and a band that bears much resemblance to both Man Overboard and Transit is Handguns. The Harrisburg, Pa., natives are a four-piece group that blend traditional pop punk with influences from the likes of The Movielife and Lifetime. That punk/hardcore tilt is what makes Handguns stand out on the band's first release for Pure Noise Records, the Don't Bite Your Tongue EP.

Opener "A Year In Review" and "Scream Goodbye" are probably the two strongest tracks on the EP. The opener chimes in at right under two minutes, but shows that Handguns knows how to write a traditional pop punk hook and mix it in with that aforementioned harder sound. Taylor Eby's vocals, sometimes resembling those of Transit vocalist Joe Boynton, are kept afloat by good, however somewhat unoriginal, guitar work by Jake Langley.

The thing that really helps this band from falling into the abyss is the presence of Marco Florey's drum kit on this EP. The drum tones throughout the 18-minute, seven-track EP are all interesting and somewhat unorthodox, and paired up with Florey's relentless pounding, make for magnificent fills in nearly every song. "Scream Goodbye" is the catchiest song on Don't Bite Your Tongue, thanks in part to the guest appearance of Zac Eisenstein of Man Overboard during the bridge.

Only closer "I Hope He Kills You" surpasses the three-minute mark, probably a good thing as the band's sound isn't one that's built for sweeping tracks of epic proportions. While not much from this EP really sticks out aside from the first two tracks, it's all consistently good. Handguns is most certainly still in its formative stages, and as this band finds out exactly where it is heading with its sound, its releases will only grow more impressive. For now, Don't Bite Your Tongue is more than enough, though. With good replayability, this EP is one that should see a more prominent role on playlists as the weather gets warmer.

handguns is 500x's better than man overboard and transit...you also should've probably concentrated a little more on the album and compared it to their first instead of saying how tight-knit they are...cuz MOST bands that start up and are trying to get signed in ALL genres are super determined, great guys, put on awesome shows etc. etc.

Just to name a few more from PA are Carousel Kings, Going Gone, Trophies, Colors, In The Day, and Chances are High

handguns is 500x's better than man overboard and transit...you also should've probably concentrated a little more on the album and compared it to their first instead of saying how tight-knit they are...cuz MOST bands that start up and are trying to get signed in ALL genres are super determined, great guys, put on awesome shows etc. etc.

Just to name a few more from PA are Carousel Kings, Going Gone, Trophies, Colors, In The Day, and Chances are High

Yeah all beginning bands are all really really really really good.

Edit: And these guys aren't close to those two bands in my opinion, that's your own.

handguns is 500x's better than man overboard and transit...you also should've probably concentrated a little more on the album and compared it to their first instead of saying how tight-knit they are...cuz MOST bands that start up and are trying to get signed in ALL genres are super determined, great guys, put on awesome shows etc. etc.

Just to name a few more from PA are Carousel Kings, Going Gone, Trophies, Colors, In The Day, and Chances are High

in my opinion, this is the style you can't just pick any bands saying "it's better than..."
it just makes no sence.
and yeah, i love carousel kings and chances are high!